<관련 영문 기사>

Park picks new prosecution chief amid growing controversy over NIS probe

By Cho Chung-un

President Park Geun-hye on Sunday tapped veteran corruption fighter Kim Jin-tae to head the prosecution marred by an internal feud over a highly sensitive investigation into the alleged election meddling by the National Intelligence Service.

Cheong Wa Dae expressed hopes that Kim, a former deputy prosecutor general, would be able to stabilize the law enforcement organization and conclude a series of pending cases fairly and thoroughly.

But the main opposition party raised concerns that the nominee is a close confidant of Kim Ki-choon, presidential chief of staff, which indicates Park’s intention to tighten her control of the prosecution.

He said the president is confident that he would regain public’s trust in the prosecution in consideration of his past activities

“Nominated as prosecutor general at a time the prosecution faces a crisis, I feel a grave responsibility,” he said in a message to reporters.

“The nominee is the right man who could carry out the job of prosecution chief (judging from) his experience of handling sensitive issues sternly based on law and principle,” Lee Jung-hyun, senior presidential public relations secretary, told reporters. 

The 60-year-old directly led investigations into a number of high-profile incidents involving former presidents and major conglomerates. He also served various posts in the prosecution including acting prosecutor general and head of Seoul Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

“Nominated as prosecutor general at a time the prosecution faces a crisis, I feel a grave responsibility,” he said in a message to reporters.

The nominee is likely to undergo a parliamentary hearing on the second week of November after the ongoing National Assembly audits of the administration.

Kim replaces former prosecutor general Chae Dong-wook who resigned last month upon allegations of concealing an extramarital child. Chae cried foul as the opposition accused the government of pressuring him to step down over the probe into the National Intelligence Service’s purported election interference.

It was widely expected for Cheong Wa Dae to announce its nominations within the week to fill the posts left vacant after a series of resignations by minister-level officials who allegedly were at strife with the presidential office.

The president on Friday tapped judge Hwang Chan-hyun to head the Board of Audit and Inspection to fill the post left empty since former BAI chief stepped down in August amid allegations of interference and pressure from the Park administration. Korea Development Institute researcher Moon Hyung-pyo was named as new health and welfare minister on the same day, to succeed former minister Chin Young who resigned citing fissures with Cheong Wa Dae over new basic pension scheme.

(christory@heraldcorp.com)